Trip to the Inside!
by Miki-to-you-Maiko
Summary: This is about friends and enemies, and odd situations, but mostly it's about Love- at the Moulin Rouge
1. What do we do?

"Hey Abby!" I yelled happily over the sound of our Moulin Rouge CD we were blasting, then started to sing along.  
  
"Meet me in the redroom!"  
  
She smiled and sang back, "Close the doors and dim the lights!"  
  
I mumbled, "I'm on a little cloud! lookit me! I have a big FAT head, and the doodle in my noodle's named Minkey Boodle!"  
  
"Minkey Boodle!"  
  
"Minkey Boodle!"  
  
"Hello, My name is Bingo, i like to climb on things, EEKEEK!"  
  
"Is it Tuesday Bluesday Moosday?"  
  
"NO NO NO!"  
  
"Maybe it's tommorow and maybe it's not- maybe it's yesterday- "  
  
Ok, so we don't have anything better to do on a Friday but sing Moulin Rouge and Space Ghost songs; but what's wrong with that!  
  
Anyway, this time we decided that we wouldn't just sit there listening to music- we would ::gasp:: DO SOMETHING!!! So we didn't move and tried to think of what to do.  
  
"What do you want to do?"  
  
"I dunno, what do you want to do?"  
  
"I dunno, what do you want to do?!"  
  
"I DON'T KNOW, WHAT DO YOU WANNA DO!!!?"  
  
"Ok, this could go on forever. Let's just try to think of something."  
  
"Like what?"  
  
"You're starting it again!"  
  
So we went on in this vein for a while, then decided we'd either conquer the world or go warp into the movie Moulin Rouge!  
  
"Let's conquer the world first," I suggested.  
  
"Ok!" We both jumped up, excited.  
  
We immediately sat back down.  
  
"Um... so how will we do that?"  
  
"Welllllll... Moulin Rouge is one of the coolest movies ever, ne?"  
  
"Duh, so?"  
  
"If we combined our two 'Things to Do', we could warp into Moulin Rouge and tell the people who watch it to vote for us for Emperor People of the whole world! Since everyone cool watches it twice a day, we'll have almost everybody under our control! WE WILL RULE THE WORLD!!!"  
  
Unison: "KWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!"  
  
We jumped up again, ready for domination!  
  
Aaaaaaand sat back down.  
  
"How do we get into the moviiie?" I whined.  
  
"Shh!" Abby ordered, a look of intense concentration on her face, "I'm thinking!"  
  
Well think quicker! I thought, but I didn't say it. I know better than that! Abby could beat me up with her pinky. I whimpered just thinking about it.  
  
"SHH!"  
  
Hmmm Hum hum hum hummmmmm........ *Time passes*  
  
"I've got it!" She exclaimed, falling backward to recline on the couch, "All we have to do is go pay Miracle Max to send us!"  
  
"Awesome! Go us! We're no frogsquishers!" We yelled, doing our secret handshake. I can't tell you how to do it, or I'd have to kill you.  
  
"Ano, where does he live?"  
  
"Oh, that's easy! He's vacationing at the Schultz's!"  
  
"Who?" She queried absently.  
  
"Oh, they live on that little street back there by Bobby. I know them from my church."  
  
I'm getting blank stares! Make them stop!  
  
"You remember Steve Schultz, right? The cute guy I used to have a crush on?"  
  
"Ohhhhhhh... hehehehehe."  
  
"WHAT?!"  
  
"He's a seventh grader! I'm sorry, that's funny!"  
  
"He's mature for Middle School, ok!?!"  
  
She kept giggling. Geez, he's only a year younger than me. He IS 14, right? Right? Ok, maybe 13. But I only liked him for a month or so before I realized the significance of the age difference! What's the big deal, what's past is past!  
  
"I'm not speaking to you now!" I commented to the air in front of her.  
  
"I'm - sorry... really!" she said, trying to stop laughing. Yep, she failed.  
  
"Anyway, let's go, ne?" I said, ignoring her gigglefit.  
  
We grabbed coats, not believing how cold it is still (it's Spring for crying out loud), and dashed over to their house. When Steve answered the door, Abby's lip started quivering dangerously, so I spoke quickly to try and keep her from starting again.  
  
"Hey, is Miracle Max here? We need a miracle!"  
  
"Sure," he said brightly, grinning at us. Oh, he's too cute.  
  
"Just a minute."  
  
He disappeared inside, and after a few minutes he reappeared with Max.  
  
"Max! Thank goodness! Could you send us into the movie Moulin Rouge?!"  
  
"Whoa, that's a big miracle involving technology......." He fell silent for a while.  
  
Steve was nice enough to help us out of our coats while we waited for Maxie to decide if he could do it. When Abby saw Steve helping me get my coat unstuck from my necklace it was too much for her. She broke out laughing. Miracle Max and Steve both thought she was laughing at them, and got a little offended.  
  
"Um, don't mind her!" I coughed nervously, "She's, uh, insane. Yeah, so she might do that but don't pay any attention."  
  
This, of course, made Abby laugh so hard that she drooled and couldn't protest. The drool made her look quite insane, I thought mischieviously.  
  
"Ok..." Max said cautiously, "I guess I can, but if it messes up, which is very likely, don't send the insane girl after me or anything, deal?"  
  
"Deal," I smiled dazzlingly, shaking his offered hand. 


	2. I'm awake!

Authors note: I forgot to say in the first chapter all the stuff about things I don't own, but it's obvious so who really cares. Also, I put a bunch of little notes in the chapter in parenthesis and you can ignore them if you want. This story contains a lot of references to the Princess Bride and Buttercup's Baby, but it'll get more Moulin Rouge-y soon, I swear.  
  
I was jarred awake by Abby yelling "WAKE UP!" in my ear.  
  
"Er, what?" I asked sleepily.  
  
"Maxie's finished!"  
  
"Already?"  
  
"Well, I got a little bored and made him go faster, also, he said we had to use it before the dead cat I accidentally threw in starts working and messes it up. So hurry!"  
  
Processing this, I got up and rubbed my stiff neck. She threw in a dead cat? Oooookay, not good.  
  
"You're right, we better hurry before you mess something up again."  
  
"Hmph."  
  
We hurried to the kitchen, where Maxie stood over a big pot with a mixing spoon. We saw no sign of anyone else, maybe because it was three in the morning.  
  
"Don't call me Maxie."  
  
Can he read my mind?  
  
"Of course, I'm a miracle man, now shut up and help me pour the chocolate in."  
  
I did.  
  
"Ok, it's ready. Drink up."  
  
We did.  
  
He stared at us expectantly for about five minutes. Nothing happened.  
  
"Ok," he said briskly, packing his things up, "Guess it didn't work."  
  
"WHAT!?" we both cried, "WE HAVE TO GO AND TAKE OVER THE WORLD TODAY!"  
  
He shrugged. Disappointed, we walked slowly back to the living room and sank down on the couch. Then Inigo walked in.  
  
"Hey, is this the home of Miracle Max?" He asked.  
  
We stared at him for a while, open mouthed. I guess it kinda freaked him out because he looked a bit nervous all of a sudden.  
  
"Um... No, but he's here," I managed, "Did you want to see him?"  
  
"No, I just wondered. Are you a six- fingered man disguised as a beautiful lady?" He said, changing subjects abruptly.  
  
"Nope. Just a regular lady."  
  
"Not regular at all," he breathed, taking my hand and kissing it, "You're very beautiful."  
  
I, of course, was very flattered since Inigo was one of the three hottest guys ever (the other two being the guy in American Outlaws who plays Jesse James, and Toulouse!). But I knew that in about a month, judging by his age, he would meet the real love of his life, so I didn't get any illusions, even with the envious looks Abby was shooting me. (If you're wondering what I'm talking about, it's from the Princess Bride books not movie) I flashed him a brilliant smile, and (a brilliant smile, the sentence does not end at 'flashed him') replied:  
  
"Well thank you! That's quite a compliment from the last living Wizard!" I replied. (If I want to make the cool guys like me in my story I CAN! BWAHAHA!)  
  
I gently took my hand from his, as much as I wanted to flirt with him, it would be wrong, knowing what I know. Anyway, Steve had just walked in and he looked furious at this obvious pick-up. Don't ask me why, I don't like him that way anymore, and he never knew I did at all. Life is what it is.  
  
Anyway, what was going on is now made irrelevant because just then me and Abby died. 


	3. Not dead?

Author note: Before you read this Abby- I only used you as a base for the character- It's NOT YOU! So don't be mad! I know you're more into the bohemian and Moulin Rouge stuff than me in reality, but in here, the character isn't. It does not reflect what I think about you.------  
  
Ok, we didn't exactly die, but our bodies did. Musta been that dead cat. I blame it all on Abby. Where'd she get that dead cat anyway? Do I want to know? It's better left alone, I suppose.  
  
We left Inigo standing shocked with me dead in his arms, and Steve trying to shake Abby awake and glancing in horror at my dead form; and were pulled through this dimension-hole thing into Moulin Rouge. What stuck out in my mind was how I went limp and cold so quickly and easily, apparently embracing the change; while Abby crumpled on the floor more slowly, her face still reflecting her emotions as if she were asleep. Curious. If I had had a chin at that moment, I'd sure as hell be stroking it questioningly.  
  
  
  
"Wow wowowowowowwoow!" I screeched, "We're here!"  
  
"Yeah... but.." Abby stammered, looking around the alley we were standing in.  
  
In had a calming, romantic feel to it. I just wanted to break out into song. The ideals of Freedom, Beauty, Truth, and above all things Love had always been a guiding force in my life and I had considered myself Bohemian; but now they stood out like never before as the most important thing and goal in life. Life itself pales in comparison to holding them up. I fit right in at once, never giving a moments thought to going back. Staying was so much more important, staying in Montmarte, the bohemian capital of the world in the time when it was at its peak. Sweet Paradise. I would live a penniless existence and write about Love, oh yes, I WILL!  
  
Abby' voice cut into the savored thoughts, "ALAINA! HEY! What do we do now? We're real enough here," she rationalized, looking at her simple brown wool gown, "but in the real world, we're dead! How do we freaking get back!" she panicked, startling several passerbys.  
  
"Abby," I smiled, "We are home! Look around! It's beautiful!" I spun, luxuriating in the feel of the simple white shirt and trousers I wore. I reached in my pocket and grinned at finding some cash there.  
  
"Let's go buy a typewriter," I enthused, "There's so much to do, to accomplish! We've stumbled unto heaven!"  
  
Abby looked a little less happy about our circumstances. She was never as much into the Bohemian ideals, but I never thought it would cross her mind that she'd rather be at home than with the bohos! But it did. She hated it and wanted to go home. I could tell, as much as I didn't want to admit it, I knew.  
  
Abby, I thought, If you go home... I don't think I'm coming. But I didn't say it. Not because I was worried about her being mad at me or lashing out, those things didn't matter so much anymore. I just didn't want to hurt her anymore than she would be hurt. After all, she might not be able to go home either. We were dead, you know. So I kept my mouth shut. If she noticed my unusual silence, she didn't comment.  
  
We shook off the gloomy mood quickly enough, walking down the alley looking around curiously until we reached a familiar looking apartment building with L'Amour written in big letters on top of it. Trying to place it, we couldn't figure it out until we saw the big elephant in direct line of vision from one of the windows.  
  
"CHRISTIAN AND THE BOHOS APARTMENT!!!" We screamed, to several people's astonishment, and then ran inside. 


	4. Meet Toulouse

Authors note- ok ok, i'll go through the "owning" thing. I don't own any characters from Moulin Rouge (obviously) or quotes from Space Ghost, or the song 'Meet me in the Redroom' that I used in the first chapter. Did I cover everything? Ok.  
  
We crept solemnly into Toulouse's room above Christian's. This was an important moment. Then we started giggling hysterically.  
  
"Who is that? Chwistian? Hewwo?" Toulouse called as he waddled into the room. We dove for a hiding spot behind the piano, but I didn't make it before he saw me.  
  
"Who aww you?" he asked, coming over and helping me up from my position sprawled on the ground between the piano and the door.  
  
"I down't know you."  
  
"Um..." I stuttered, "I just heard so much about you, you're such a great artist... I wanted to meet you," I finished lamely. Toulouse inspected me, and I twirled for him, blushing.  
  
"You aww intewesting," he commented, "Would you mind if I painted you?"  
  
I clapped my hands to my cheeks and jumped up and down excitedly.  
  
"Really, Really, You want to paint me?!"  
  
Toulouse nodded, his eyes twinkling, "You weaw bweeches but you aww vewy much a woman."  
  
Does he think I'm a prostitute, I wondered belatedly, this is Montemarte after all. I sobered, glaring at the floor. Toulouse may have caught my general line of thought because the twinkle in his eye changed from unreadable to concerned and compassionate.  
  
"Nevewmind, deaw, I'm not in the painting mood anyway. Why did you come to Montemarte?"  
  
"I want to be a bohemian revolutionary," I said earnestly with bright eyes.  
  
"That's wonderful! Do you believe in Freedom?"  
  
"Yes!"  
  
"Beauty?"  
  
"Yes!"  
  
"Truth?"  
  
"YES!"  
  
"Love?"  
  
"Love?" Toulouse caught his breath as I went on, "I believe in Love above everything! Love is life!"  
  
"Ah! That's beauwutiful! You aww a true bohemian!" A thought seemed to strike him.  
  
"Would you like to meet my fweinds? Chwistian, Satine, and the othiws?"  
  
"Oh yes!" I breathed, "I would like that above all things."  
  
I was about to leave when I remembered Abby. Whoops.  
  
"Hey Toulouse?"  
  
"What, deawie?"  
  
"Can my friend come, too?"  
  
"Of course!"  
  
I pulled her out from behind the couch and we walked out hand in hand with Toulouse. Could this day get better. I'm not willing to play a prostitute for him, but I do love Toulouse. And I finally got to meet him face to face. I'm holding his hand. And he thinks of me as a boho friend! As i thought these things, a warm happy glow spread through me. So this is what it's like when dreams come true? How delightful.  
  
Abby didn't feel the same way. In her mind, this was a nightmare. She didn't know how to get home, and Toulouse's hand was cold and clammy! At least I'll get to meet Christian, she thought, and resigned herself to the walk. For now. Then she was getting out of this film.  
  
The girls both sighed at the same time. 


	5. Conflicts

We entered the apartment below Toulouse's, startling Christian and Satine reclining on the couch enough for them to spring apart and pretend to be discussing lines.  
  
"Hewwo Chwistian! It's juwst me, down't wowwy! Look who I bwought with me!" Toulouse called as he gestured to where Abby and I stood waiting behind him, "I tawked to hew," pointing at me, "and she's a twue bohemian! Twue bohemians aww hawd to find!"  
  
"Hello!" Christian greeted us with a friendly smile on his face, standing up and walking over.  
  
I smiled back and shook his hand.  
  
"Hello Christian, my name is Alaina. I was just wondering... do you think I could help with Spectacular Spectacular?" I asked, blushing at my own impertinence.  
  
"How did you know about Spectacuwew Spectacuwew?" Toulouse wondered out loud, "I didn't tell you."  
  
Oh no, whoops. I thought quickly of an excuse, "I... just heard so much about it already. It's going to be a great show! I know I can't probably can't contribute that much because I'm young; but if you let me, I'd love to help!" I burst out, clasping my hands together nervously. Please Please............  
  
"Weww I think she has tawent...... What do you think Chwistian?"  
  
Christian looked amused, "You always had a soft spot for a pretty girl, Toulouse, but you know I trust your judgement. Ok, I guess we could use her somewhere. She can be a singer," he answered, looking through his music sheets for a part for me, "Wait!" he yelled, jumping up excitedly, "We need someone to be the little girl who sells Satine flowers in scene 1!" He turned to me, "What about? You up for it?"  
  
"You bet!"  
  
YAHHH! I'm in Spectacular Spectaculer! YAHHHHH!  
  
"Um," Abby interrupted from behind me, raising her hand, "Alaina, can we go now?"  
  
As in GO OUT OF THE MOVIE!!! Her eyes said.  
  
"Oh Hello, Christian," she said, as if just noticing him, and smiled, "We have to do something, so will you excuse us?" She nodded without waiting for an answer, and started to pull me out of his apartment. I twisted out of her grip and whispered forcefully, "No, Abbs, I want to stay and work on my part! I know I can do good! I AM a bohemian! Truth, Beauty, Freedom, and Love, remember? Please, respect my decision to stay. You can go back if you want to, but I'm staying in the movie!"  
  
There, I said it!!! Too bad she didn't hear me.  
  
"What? I didn't hear you," she whispered back.  
  
I sighed, "Nevermind, I'm just going to hang out here for a while, ok? You can go look for a way out."  
  
"Alright, if I find anything or if I don't, I'll meet you in Toulouse's apartment tonight."  
  
"Agreed."  
  
We shook hands and she turned to go. I hesitated, then called her back.  
  
"Abby? I'm sorry I dragged you into this." I said softly.  
  
This time she heard me. She ran back in and hugged me, and as I embraced my best bud in the whole world, I wondered if I would ever see her again. If she found a way.... Would she be able to return to Toulouse's apartment? I didn't think so, and to this day I hold true that she didn't either. We were saying goodbye in our own ways.  
  
I'll miss you buddy, I thought while I watched from the window as she ran by in the alley below. Bye... 


	6. Note to all Readers!

Note- the version of the second chapter I had on my computer went beserk and deleted itself, so I had to create a whole new chapter just to tell you that in Chapter 2, when I refer to Inigo being a Wizard, that's the highest rank in swordplay- not magical junk. Which you would know if you had read the Princess Bride- but forget it- this story is mostly about Moulin Rouge, I just had to add Inigo and Maxie because I love them. Fezzik might appear later- no promises. It is a MR fic after all. Bai! Ja ne! TOODLEWHAP, PIP PIP! 


	7. A twist in the plot

I walked wearily down the street back to Toulouse's apartment after a long day of dress rehearsals. Henri (his first name) had graciously offered to share his apartment with me and Abbs- and I'd accepted gladly. I really enjoyed his company too, most people called him Toulouse, but I called him Henri. We were getting very close these days, it perked me up just to think of him, and I walked a bit quicker.  
  
It was just too bad that Abby hadn't been around to see all the changes. After a few days I realized that it might have been better to make her wait awhile before running off to nowhere. She might have changed her mind. And certainly she never should have left alone in Montmarte in the evening! I didn't pay attention to where I was walking as I thought about it, much less the fact that it was evening and I was in Montmarte, worrying that something had happened or that she was hurt or worse! What if she got home? How would I ever know? Would I just have to worry forever?!  
  
I walked along obliviously, distressing myself over my ignorance. (Henri wanted to walk me home but I, stupid, even though I wanted to accept and chat with him on the way home, decided to walk by myself. I guess I hoped to see Abby)  
  
"DOKO ATASHI_WA NO ABBY_O DESU?" (Where is Abby?) I screamed, throwing my head up and flinging my arms out, demanding the answer from the sky, the horrible cold stars squeezing tears from me. I hate stars.  
  
My efforts weren't entirely futile, they just went horrifyingly bad. Not only did Abby not appear and wipe the tears from my eyes, but two odd looking men heard the feminine scream and emerged from dark alleys, moving toward me. As I was alone in Montmarte at night, I didn't think they could exactly have good intentions.  
  
Oh no, I thought in horror, here I was worrying about her when I'm the one in danger! I looked around and saw that I was only about a house away from Toulouse and Christian's apartment building. The men were getting closer, and I started running. Running and crying, and calling out for anyone to help me, anyone!  
  
"Toulouse! Christine! Satine! Satie! ABBY! HELP ME!" I sobbed, running wildly toward the apartment, not being able to see it because of the tears blocking my vision.  
  
((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((  
  
Back in her own bed in 2002, Abby heard me.  
  
She had uneventfully found a rent in time in which she could travel home, but when she got there, she missed Alaina terribly. And, she had to admit, she missed Montmarte just as much. She was so much in shock about it working that she didn't even flirt with Christian! She had come back to find her body only "mostly dead" and, under the guise of one of Maxie's miracles, had slipped back in. But now all she wanted was to go back! Alaina's body was all dead, so she couldn't come. It was up to Abby to go back there if they were ever to meet again. Inigo had been so relieved that both Abby and Alaina were safe, though in different times, she hadn't the heart to tell them she wanted to leave again!  
  
But then she heard Alaina call. She heard the voice in her head as clear as anything, sharp with sorrow and fear and desperation. Abby knew better than to ignore her best friend. She came.  
  
(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((  
  
I felt cold grimy hands grab my arm just as Abby got there.  
  
"ALAINA!!!" Abby yelled, panicked to see thugs gaining on her heartsister and grabbing her! Fury welled within her and exploded, expending itself in ways she had never before known she was capable of. Unseeable vines of her soul reaching from her wrapped themselves around me. Good, I thought sleepily, Abby's here, so I'm safe now.  
  
"You... get... away.. from her! Or I swear I'll kill you." Abby intoned harshly in a many-layered voice that I didn't recognize, her long hair fanning around her without help from wind.  
  
The men who now had jointly grabbed both my arms and held me motionless with my head hanging down in shame and anger let go, chuckling, to let me fall to my knees. I watched through the hair that cascaded down over my eyes, Abby's vines supporting me. Then they moved toward Abby. I couldn't see the changes in her, had no way of knowing the power she had and the ability she now had to protect herself, because I had not yet awakened to my part of it, but I knew she was in danger. Something snapped, and I was as wide awake as I'd ever be. A matching energy rushed out of me as I stood, propelled by the simple motivation of protecting her, and by the vines, vines of my soul that I stretched toward her. The situation changed as we looked across at each other, noting our twinned auras and vines, magic that was supported by each other, that could not exist apart. Faint memories linked our minds, remembrance that once we were one, our souls had each split from a single soul. Whose, we didn't know, and didn't care, any such memories would only make our present life difficult. As we discovered these things and the vines and auras grew thicker, trying to join the halves of the soul together again, our hair become long and deeply black, gently settling back down to hang at our knees. Our eyes become a startling green and our bodies morphed, taking on the same form. No, stop! The power was supposed to recede back inside us!  
  
Not anymore, shrieked an unfamiliar voice inside us.  
  
We weren't there anymore; instead an unknown girl inhabited both our bodies. We hadn't expected that!  
  
You mean I didn't expect that, she thought smugly as we disappeared inside of her.  
  
The men no longer mattered, they were insects, nothings. But, stupid creatures they were, they ignored the obvious and dramatic changes from the brown hair to deep raven, the varied brown and hazel eyes to the piercing green, the different forms changing entirely until we appeared exactly the same. They kept coming toward her, grinning, until finally she deigned to notice them. With a flick of her hand, she sent them flying to the backways they had sprung from, never taking her eyes from the identical ones across from her.  
  
Both of her bodies looked up and she thought, I love the stars.  
  
  
  
The girls walked gracefully into Toulouse's apartment, both dressed identically in black gowns that accentuated their eye-catching green eyes and vivid noir hair.  
  
"Hello Toulouse," she said serenely, "I am home from rehearsal, and I have brought Abby with me." 


	8. LOVE

Note-This one is for you, Abbs. No seriously, just keep reading, your favorite part'll be near the end. The beginning is all me. I love you Toulouse!  
  
  
  
Toulouse was horrified at our new connection, because this person was clearly neither Abby nor Alaina. The change had taken place long enough ago that it was nearly completed.  
  
"Buwt, Awaina, youw muwst change back! This isn't youw! This is nowt the giwl I feww in wove with! Aww youw wistening? Awaina I wuv youw!" Toulouse covered his face with trembling hands.  
  
The girl on the right tilted her head in thought, "I can see that to Alaina this would mean something, because she too felt this "love", but I am not she, and I do not."  
  
Her other half nodded.  
  
Toulouse looked up, tears contrasting with the fury in his eyes. "Get out of her, you sick reincarnated bastard, GET OUT OF ALAINA!" he yelled, for the first time not speaking in a lisp.  
  
"I'm afraid that there are very few ways to return them to themselves, and getting me out is not one of them. They can come back only if you can destroy the tie between these bodies," she laughed deeply through both of her human forms, "Which will soon be impossible for I'll unite this body into one earthly form! Do not hate me, I mean you no pain, it comes because you cannot let go of the other girl! Look at me, maybe you will find a different girl to love," the skank said huskily.  
  
Toulouse looked up, up, up to her face and saw me hiding in those green eyes.  
  
"No. Never." He whispered, then grabbed one of Satie's explosion things and set it off between them, hoping it would break the connection.  
  
"Alaina, Abby, come back out, please!"  
  
As the two bodies were coughing, distracted, Toulouse yelled for Christian or Satine or anyone to come help; and kept trying different ways to cut the spiritual ties.  
  
"Silver! That's it! Your supposed to use Silver on magicy things!" Toulouse yelled, as he grabbed every silver thing he could find.  
  
"No, you idiot, silver does nothing!" she breathlessly chuckled, then turned her bodies toward each other and decided, "The soul has to meld together again in one body quickly, before he can find the way to stop us!" The two bodies grabbed each other tightly so nothing could be thrown between them, just as Christian came running in.  
  
"Toulouse! What's going on?!" Christian demanded as he noted two girls, Toulouse's tears, the smoke, and the ton of silver around his friend.  
  
"Nevermind! You must distract them, something horrible is about to happen!"  
  
"Where'd did your lisp go?" asked the confused Christian.  
  
"Nevermind! Hurry!"  
  
Christian walked over to the 'girls' and looked helplessly at them for a moment, then, urged by Toulouse and lacking a better idea, he knelt and kissed Abby.  
  
I say 'Abby', not one of the bodies of the unknown girl, because when he kissed her, she liked it and started to have her own feelings, breaking the unity or uniformity of their soul. When the halves of the soul parted, they each formed into a whole soul, and they were in all ways, themselves. So when he opened his eyes, Christian looked into hazel, not green.  
  
"Good riddance to that slut!" I said, throwing myself at Henri, who that bitch had tried to steal.  
  
When our souls re-formed, hers had gone forever.  
  
  
  
Satine got there late. She arrived on the scene just in time to see me fly into Toulouse, knocking him down and landing on top of him, kissing him sweetly with my tears falling on his face. She smiled sentimentally, glad that we'd found each other.  
  
Then she looked over to the other side of the room where her boyfriend was making out with Abby, and the smile left quickly.  
  
"CHRIIIIISTIIIIIAAAAAAN!!!" 


	9. Gets good

When Abby came back to herself and discovered Christian kissing her, she did what any normal woman would do. She threw her arms around him and fell forward so she was on top of him, keeping him from getting away; and deepening the kiss. Then she heard it.  
  
"CHRIIIIIISTIIIAAAN!!!"  
  
Uh oh.  
  
Abby broke away smiling, letting Christian get up, a little dazed, so that he could explain to the indignant Satine who was standing with her arms crossed by the door, why he had been kissing Abby passionately enough to get lipstick all over his face.  
  
"Satine, it's not what you think!" he whined as she pulled him away, yanking his ear.  
  
"I'm… so….. sure," she hissed through her teeth.  
  
"Whoo-chi! Coughwhippedcough" Abby commented just loudly enough for Satine and Chris to hear.  
  
It inspired different things in each. Satine scowled, but Chris seemed to grow a backbone.  
  
"Satine," he started, straitening and forcing her to release his ear, "I think Abby has a point."  
  
"Standing up for that slut?!"  
  
"Yes! I mean, she's not! I have a perfectly reasonable explanation for what you saw, but you never gave me a chance, even though you know I will always be true to you."  
  
"Christian…"  
  
"No, if this relationship is going to work then, although you have every right to demand my respect, I have a right to demand yours."  
  
"I'm impressed!" I cheered, "Go Chris!" before going back to my ::wink:: previous occupation.  
  
"Don't call me. Don't write.  
  
Don't show up in the middle of the night.  
  
You know that we needed some time and space to breathe in.  
  
I've given all I had to give  
  
and now it's time for me to live  
  
and I won't look back and I won't regret,  
  
though it hurts like hell,  
  
some day I will forget" Christian sang in that adorable voice.  
  
"Satine, we need some time apart." He said, walking over to Abby and putting his arm around her. "To discover what went wrong in our relationship."  
  
"But… we're in love…"  
  
"Love is special but it can happen again. To make it work, we need to be tuned to each other's needs. To do that, I think we need to see other people."  
  
And with that, Chris left, grabbing Abby's hand and pulling her with him, leaving a speechless Satine behind.  
  
I surfaced again long enough to giggle happily and earn a glare from Satine before she flounced out.  
  
Later that night…  
  
Me and Abby had decided that I would live down in Chris's apartment and she would live in Henri's- to keep from any, er, mixing among the couples at night. But before we settled down to sleep, I had spent a couple hours helping Henri with his lines, and she had been helping Chris write the script. I could hear her singing ideas down there,  
  
"Yummy yummy yummy I got love in my tummy  
  
And I feel like loving you.  
  
Love you such a sweet thing,  
  
Good enough to eat thing  
  
And that's just what I'm gonna do."  
  
And Chris singing back-  
  
If you said goodbye to me tonight  
  
There would still be music left to write  
  
What else could I do?  
  
I'm so inspired by you  
  
That hasn't happened for the longest time  
  
Once I thought that my innocence was gone  
  
Now I know that happiness goes on  
  
That's where you found me  
  
When you put your arms around me  
  
I haven't been there for the longest time  
  
I'm that voice you're hearing in the hall  
  
And the greatest miracle of all  
  
Is how I ndeed you and how you needed me too  
  
That hasn't happened for the longest time  
  
Maybe this won't last very long  
  
But you feel so right  
  
And I could be wrong  
  
Maybe I've been hoping too hard  
  
But I've come this far  
  
And it's more than I hoped for  
  
Who knows how much further we'll go on  
  
Maybe I'll be sorry when you're gone  
  
I'll take my chances  
  
I've forgot how nice romance is.  
  
I haven't been there for the longest time  
  
I had second thoughts at the start  
  
I said to myself hold on to your heart  
  
Now I know the woman that you are  
  
You're wonderdul so far,  
  
And it's more than I hoped for  
  
I don't care what consequence it brings.  
  
I have been a fool for lesser things  
  
I want you so bad  
  
I think you ought to know that  
  
I intend to hold you for the longest time"  
  
Now we were chatting, sitting on the couch in Henri's apartment so he could paint us.  
  
"Life here is so… Beautiful." Abby sighed romantically.  
  
"It's the bohemian lifestyle in a movie, Abbs, it tends to be fulfilling."  
  
"I wish it weren't just a movie."  
  
"It's not! It's something else now that we're here, we've changed it, but I bet if we went back, the MOVIE would be the same. This is a separate reality, OUR reality."  
  
Never made it as a wise man  
  
I couldn't cut it as a poor man stealin'  
  
Tired of livin' like a blind man  
  
I'm sick of sight without a sense of feelin'  
  
"But we don't have to anymore, Abbs! We're in a world where we can live! Be who we are, take in every sight and sense and feel!"  
  
And back at the elephant, lonely and dreading her meeting tomorrow night with the Duke, opening night…. Satine sang.  
  
Sweet noble heart, I am forbidden  
  
to ever see you again  
  
your fair sweet face  
  
which put me on the path of love  
  
but truly I do not know  
  
how I can expect  
  
not to have to die soon  
  
I am wounded by love  
  
and have no joy or mirth  
  
for to you, my sweet companion  
  
I have given my heart.  
  
"Christian, I'm sorry, I never thought you would leave me like this… I need you Chris… I love you… Come what May.  
  
"Never knew I could feel like this,  
  
It's like I've never seen the sky before  
  
Want to vanish inside your kiss  
  
Every day I love you more and more.  
  
Listen to my heart  
  
Can you hear it sing?  
  
Telling me to give you everything  
  
Seasons may change  
  
Winter to spring,  
  
But I love you  
  
Until the end of time.  
  
Come what may  
  
Come what may  
  
I will love you until my dying… day."  
  
Back in the apartment, Chris tilted his head as if he'd heard something, then shook as if to clear it. 


	10. Abby's choice

Abby tried to tell herself that she wasn't responsible for what happened between Chris and Satine in this world.  
  
After all, she reasoned, this is me and Alaina's world, and we can do whatever we want with it!  
  
An.... and if he chose her over Satine, she could only enjoy it while it lasted, right? He said it himself, right?  
  
I mean, maybe she didn't really know him at all, but all that mattered was that he loved her. Didn't he love her? Of course he did! She wasn't convenient, he kissed her!  
  
While Abby silently wrestled with her conscience, she heard a lonely voice on the wind, mourning a lost love…  
  
After the ball is over, just at the break of dawn,  
  
After the dance is ended, and all the stars are gone.  
  
Many the heart that's aching, if you could read them all.  
  
Many the fond hope that's vanished, after the ball.  
  
His eyes were shining, in the big ballroom,  
  
Softly the organ was playing a tune.  
  
There stood my sweetheart, my love, my own  
  
Wishing some water, I left the room.  
  
When I returned, pet, there stood a woman  
  
Kissing my sweetheart, as lovers can.  
  
Down went the glass, pet, broke in the fall,  
  
Just as my heart was, after the ball.  
  
After the ball is over, just at the break of dawn,  
  
After the dance is ended, and all the stars are gone.  
  
Many the heart that's aching, if you could read them all.  
  
Many the fond hope that's vanished, after the ball.  
  
"That's so sad.." Abby murmured, before realizing that the voice she heard belonged to Satine.  
  
You took my kisses  
  
And all my love  
  
You taught me how to care  
  
Am I to be just remnant  
  
Of a one side love affair  
  
All you took  
  
I gladly gave  
  
There is nothing left  
  
For me to save  
  
All of me  
  
Why not take all of me  
  
Can't you see  
  
I'm no good without you  
  
Take my lips  
  
I want to loose them  
  
Take my arms  
  
I'll never use them  
  
Your goodbye  
  
Left me with eyes that cry  
  
How can I go on dear  
  
Without you  
  
You took the part  
  
That once was my heart  
  
So why not take  
  
All of me  
  
Abby recognized what song Satine was starting to sing next, and joined in, blending their voices perfectly.  
  
Love, love, love.  
  
Love, love, love.  
  
Love, love, love.  
  
There's nothing you can do  
  
That can't be done.  
  
Nothing you can sing  
  
That can't be sung.  
  
Nothing you can say  
  
But you can learn  
  
How to play the game.  
  
It's easy.  
  
All you need is love.  
  
All you need is love.  
  
All you need is love, love.  
  
Love is all you need.  
  
Nothing you can make  
  
That can't be made.  
  
No one you can save  
  
That can't be saved.  
  
Nothing you can do  
  
But you can learn  
  
How to be you in time.  
  
It's easy.  
  
All you need is love.  
  
All you need is love.  
  
All you need is love, love.  
  
Love is all you need.  
  
Nothing you can know  
  
That isn't known.  
  
Nothing you can see  
  
That isn't shown.  
  
Nowhere you can be  
  
That isn't where  
  
You're meant to be.  
  
It's easy.  
  
All you need is love.  
  
All you need is love.  
  
All you need is love, love.  
  
Love is all you need.  
  
All you need is love.  
  
All you need is love.  
  
All you need is love, love.  
  
Love is all you need.  
  
Then Satine heard her and cut off abruptly, shutting her doors just in time to miss Abby singing her the last verse.  
  
Yee-hai! Oh yeah!  
  
He loves you,  
  
Yeah yeah yeah.  
  
He loves you,  
  
Yeah yeah yeah.  
  
Abby was no fool. She saw what was going on, and she would be no man's tool. It was time to halt the fantasy and get Chris and Satine back together.  
  
In a sudden change of mood, she grinned cheerily. This should be almost as fun as indulging in a couple kisses with Chris! 


	11. Another chance

When the moon is in the Seventh House  
  
And Jupiter aligns with Mars  
  
Then peace will guide the planets  
  
And love will steer the stars  
  
This is the dawning of the age of Aquarius  
  
Age of Aquarius  
  
Aquarius!  
  
Aquarius!  
  
Harmony and understanding  
  
Sympathy and trust abounding  
  
No more falsehoods or derisions  
  
Golden living dreams of visions  
  
Mystic crystal revelation  
  
And the mind's true liberation  
  
Aquarius!  
  
Aquarius!  
  
When the moon is in the Seventh House  
  
And Jupiter aligns with Mars  
  
Then peace will guide the planets  
  
And love will steer the stars  
  
This is the dawning of the age of Aquarius  
  
Age of Aquarius  
  
Aquarius!  
  
Aquarius!  
  
Aquarius!  
  
Aquarius!  
  
Let the sunshine, let the sunshine in, the sunshine in  
  
Let the sunshine, let the sunshine in, the sunshine in  
  
Let the sunshine, let the sunshine in, the sunshine in  
  
Oh, let it shine, c'mon  
  
Now everybody just sing along  
  
Let the sun shine in  
  
Open up your heart and let it shine on in  
  
When you are lonely, let it shine on  
  
Got to open up your heart and let it shine on in  
  
And when you feel like you've been mistreated  
  
And your friends turn away  
  
Just open your heart, and shine it on in  
  
I started singing to Henri, just clowning around during a painting session.  
  
He gasped, "Awaina, that is beauwtifuww! Did youw wite it?"  
  
I laughed and shook my head. Charming Toulouse, his lisp was back and I loved it as much as I loved him.  
  
  
  
Meanwhile- Abby was climbing the elephant, and singing.  
  
This day and age we're living in  
  
Gives cause for apprehension  
  
With speed and new invention  
  
And things like fourth dimension  
  
Yet we get a trifle weary  
  
With Mr. Einstein's theory  
  
So we must get down to earth at times  
  
Relax relieve the tension  
  
And no matter what the progress  
  
Or what may yet be proved  
  
The simple facts of life are such  
  
They cannot be removed  
  
You must remember this  
  
A kiss is still a kiss,  
  
A sigh is just a sigh  
  
The fundamental things apply  
  
As time goes by  
  
And when two lovers woo  
  
They still say, "I love you"  
  
On that you can rely  
  
No matter what the future brings  
  
As time goes by  
  
Moonlight and love songs  
  
Never out of date  
  
Hearts full of passion  
  
Jealousy and hate  
  
Woman needs man  
  
And man must have his mate  
  
That no one can deny  
  
Well, it's still the same old story  
  
A fight for love and glory  
  
A case of do or die  
  
The world will always welcome lovers  
  
As time goes by  
  
When she reached the top, she swung over the side onto the balcony.  
  
"Hello?" she called softly, "Satine?"  
  
Abby looked around awhile while her eyes adjusted to the dimly lit room.  
  
"Aha!" she whispered, walking over to the huge maroon bed that Satine was sleeping in.  
  
"Wake up!" she yelled, shaking the woman in front of her, "I need to talk to you."  
  
Satine rolled over, obviously having cried herself to sleep by the smudge marks.  
  
"What do you want?!" she asked angrily, sitting up.  
  
"I.." Suddenly her conviction that they needed to talk didn't seem as strong. When Satine reverted to Sparkling Diamond mode, she could be very intimidating.  
  
"I just thought we needed to talk."  
  
"What's there to say? Unless you want to give back what you stole from me- the only thing that matters anymore, then-"  
  
"But that's just it, Satine. I know you and Chris belong together, he was wrong. But you have to give up things for him, too, if you care for him at all! He's living horribly in a lie just to stay by you, but even though you claim he's the most important thing, you won't leave this horrible pimp club to be with him!" 


	12. Kidnapping, too?

Satine's 'Sparkling Diamond' look broke just long enough for Abby to see shock and pain in her eyes. It didn't last long, and was replaced by fury. "How dare you," Satine practically spit, "You have no idea what it's like! You just show up here, perfect and innocent, and steal Christian's respect! Then you have the horrible cruelty to stand there and tell me what I did wrong to make me lose him? How DARE you!" Abby smiled. Perfect. She'd cracked through her self-pity. Now Satine was sure to fight with all she had to get Chris back. Now she just had to motivate Chris a little in addition to that backbone he got... Abby turned and started to leave the way she came. But she didn't expect or plan the slender arm that held her back or the cherub statue that knocked her out. "Perfect," Satine's full lips curved into a smile that was almost frightening, saying a bit hysterically, "I'll make Chris come back! He'll realize that I had to get this slut out of the way because he loves me!" 


	13. Snapped

"Abby!" I called, barging into Abby's section of Toulouse's apartment, "I have this awesome idea.." I pulled back the curtain that we put up for her privacy and didn't see Abby anywhere. I pulled up the blankets and found a bunch of pillows lousily arranged in an attempt to look like her. "Oooook, this is so not funny. Abby?!" A groggy Toulouse waddled in rubbing his eyes, "What is the pwobwem? Wew is Abby?" "I.. I don't know, she's not here. She went somewhere.." A thought occurred to both Toulouse and I at the same time. "Satine!" "What is she thinking?" I asked frantically, "I mean, I like Satine and all, but she DOES have a major reason to be pissed right now, and who knows what she'll do to her!" "What can we do?!" Toulouse asked, looking to me for some guidance, "I can't fink under pwessuw, I panic!" "Um.. Um. Well, we can, er, I've got it! I have a plan! Ok, Toulouse- you go up into the elephant to talk to them, and I'll be below the ledge {as it's the only other way out} just in case things get out of hand." "Got it!" Toulouse replied, squaring his shoulders and determinedly marching off. I watched him for a minute before I went to go round up the things I might need, then head over. Damn, he's so adorable. ......................... I held in a cough as I perched beneath the balcony, listening. According to plan, I got some climbing stuff and clambered up the trunk. I couldn't hear anything yet, but I was sure Toulouse would get there soon. Unless he had already gotten there and I missed something extremely important. ..........................  
  
Inside the elephant, Satine silently curled into a ball in the darkness, surrounded by two unconscious forms lashed together and muzzled. She rocked herself back and forth, muttering, "He got in my way, Christian, I have to get rid of her and then he can wake up, Christian.." 


End file.
